Little Orphan Darling
by scottiegal2012
Summary: A short little fic telling first of Stella's plans for her future from the point of view that Saint Basil's Orphanage gives her and second of meeting Mac Taylor. And yes... it is now a novel... read on as I update Rating changed due to mentions of beatin
1. Introduction

Author- Officer-In-Blue

Title - Little Orphan Darling

Summery - A short little fic telling first of Stella's plans for her future from the point of view that Saint Basil's Orphanage gives herand second of meeting Mac Taylor.

Disclaimer - Miss Manten, temper tantrum child, and the police chief belong to me... the rest belongs to the people of NY and Jerry Bruckheimer and associated media personel.

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"Hey, sweetheart, do you want to grab something to eat and walk through the park?" The voice did little to pull Stella Bonasera out of the bottomless pit she had slipped into. She was staring at a crack in the window of the small fourth floor bedroom she shared with 5 other girls. The orphanage was growing daily, both physically and by number.

17 years old with bright eyes and dark curly hair. Fair skin and a beautiful smile. She'd lived her entire life in that orphanage with the nuns and the other girls her only companions. There was one particular nun who reminded her much of Miss Clavelle of the classic tale "Madeline". A tall woman, who dressed in the respectable Catholic black and white, completed by the long vale like fabric that flowed down her back. Her voice was soft and she was a well-mannered woman who had taught Stella much of what she knew about love and kindness… and most importantly forgiveness. That was who was trying to get her attention now.

"Stella?" Miss Manten lifted her robes slightly as she sat gracefully down on Stella's bottom bunk. It was made neatly as all the girls were expected to do every morning at 6:30 when they woke up. She slipped her arm over Stella's small, but strong shoulders and held her for a minute. "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know the Greek word for hate." Stella whispered. Her voice cracked with anger.

"You do not hate easily, dear, what is it?"

"I just found out exactly why I'm in this orphanage."

Miss Manten sighed heavily. "The others had lied to you, yes. No one wanted you to hear that-"

Stella cut her off. "That my parents ditched me? Didn't want me anymore? I was inconveniencing them? God, Miss Manten… what possesses someone to despise their own child to the point of just throwing her away as if I were some… broken piece of garbage." The anger slipped away as quick as it had come, turning instead to tears. "I'm sorry. I have no right to complain or to be angry. I do not know the situation they may have been in."

"They're gone now, so you can believe whatever comforts you most." Miss Manten added quietly as Stella slumped her head down.

"I read that too. A car accident the year I turned twelve. They never intended to come back for me."

"Perhaps that was a punishment of sorts for what they did to you or rather what thy didn't do for you." Miss Manten suggested hopefully. "How about that walk?"

Stella smiled, her eyes shining through the tears. "Sure would appreciate that, Miss Manten." She hugged the woman tightly.

As they headed down the busy New York streets toward Central Park, Stella was silent. She watched the business people in fancy suits and the children who yelled at their parents. "If only they knew." Stella mumbled wistfully.

Miss Manten followed Stella's line of site and saw a spoiled child throwing himself against a car door. "I don't want to go get pizza!" He was screaming loudly. "I want hot dogs!"

She shook her head. "No… they don't know. And I'd take pizza over hot dogs."

Stella looked at the nun who bore a silly grin. She shook her head and laughed. "Not me, but to each his own."

Miss Manten slipped her arm around Stella's shoulder as they kept walking. "You don't know what your missing and it's probably better that way."

Stella stared at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Stella, did you know I was an orphan too? Grew up in the very same room you have now."

Stella shook her head. "No, but I always imagined you might have been. Not a lot of people want to deal with troubled, angry children with no parents."

Miss Manten nodded. "Well, I didn't get there until I was nearly 15. I didn't know my mother, and my father eventually grew sick of me. It's better to not even know what you've lost."

Stella digested what her mentor was telling her. True as it was, Stella still found herself stuck on the old quote. "Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all."

Miss Manten didn't respond, but her arm tightened around Stella's shoulder as they arrived at the southwest end of the Park near Columbus Circle. They grabbed soft pretzels coated in a signature mustard sauce that sizzled on the salty goodness. They continued on toward a bench neat a playground where children were racing higher on the swing sets and toddlers were playing in sand boxes.

"Better to have lost before loving than to lose something that'll break your heart."

Stella thought about that for a long moment. Swallowing another bite she smiled. "Touché.

"What should I do with my life, Miss Manten?"

"Whatever you want to. You are a bright, smart girl. You're nearly done with high school, and a year early to boot. Any college will accept your transcripts and you can get quite a few scholarships and a lot of financial aid being an orphan."

Stella smiled. "I've always wanted to work with the sciences. Maybe forensics or something."

"Go for it, Baby!"

Stella grinned and wiped the mustard that had dripped onto her hands before hugging Miss Manten tight with both arms. "Thank you for everything, Miss Manten."

"Hey, Detective. I want you to meet your new boss!" Stella looked up to see the Chief of Police leaving without waiting for her response. She stood to follow; leaving her lab coat on the stool she'd been perched on far too long.

Standing in the doorway was a handsome man just a hair taller than her if that, wearing a suit and tie. _Formal_. She thought as she extended her hand. "Detective Taylor?"

"Yes. You must be Detective Bonasera." He took her hand and shook it.

"Yeah, but I'm more comfortable with _Stella_."

He smiled at her and nodded. "Okay, _Stella. _I prefer Mac."

"Okay, _Mac."_ She mirrored his enunciation. "I'm pretty sure I met your wife a few nights back. Claire?"

"Yeah, that'd be her. We just moved up from Chicago."

"So you're not new to the whole city thing? That'll be good."

"I suppose. I had wanted something smaller, less death, but she got an offer up here we couldn't refuse. Because she didn't have to re-test for her rank as a lieutenant."

Stella nodded knowingly. "I've never worked anywhere else… here in this lab, on that stool."

He laughed. "Yeah, moving just kind of stinks sometimes."

She smiled. "Wouldn't ever hope to find that out first hand."

"I'll let you get back to your work. If you're not busy later, perhaps you'll join my wife and I for dinner? Maybe suggest someplace good?"

"I would love to." She grinned as she pulled her lab coat back on and returned to her blood samples.

**And that's all She wrote - MAYBE More COULD quite POSSIBLY follow if I get inspired- **_Written by Officer-In-Blue _**-****-Support the troops, they're protecting your ass.**


	2. Unfolding Case

Sister Beverly Manten stood staring at the orphans who were quietly enjoying the evening meal. The Ash Wednesday Mass ceremony was fast approaching and this was indeed a time to honor the Catholic celebration of fasting and prayer. She slipped away as the other sisters gathered the orphans to bring them to the chapel. Little did she know someone was waiting on the other side of the door for Miss Manten.

"Bonasera." Stella flipped her phone open and placed it against her ear.

"Stella, it's Claire Taylor."

"Hey Claire. What caused you to make a phone call so bright and early in the morning?"

"We have another abduction reported at the station and I thought you would be interested."

"Why? I'm homicide." Stella crawled from her bed and threw her curtains open, letting the sunlight brighten her studio apartment.

"Yeah, but it's the same pattern as your rape vic had."

"My dead rape vic?" Stella's voice rose slightly. Part because of anger remembering the particular case as disgusting above and beyond anything she'd investigated before; and part because of excitement that they could be one step closer to tracking the pig down.

"The very same." Claire confirmed. "My husband's coming by to pick you up. He should be there in about fifteen minutes, but he wanted to head straight to the station instead of the lab."

"Alright, I'll be ready." Stella was already brushing through the tangled mess her hair had a habit of becoming when she showered at night. "Did you and Mac get settled in all the way?"

"Yeah… three months past when we would have liked to have everything unpacked, but that's newlyweds for you." She giggled, imagining Stella rolling her eyes.

"You're better than coffee in the morning. I'm going to have to keep you around." Stella mumbled as she forced her toothbrush into her still sleeping mouth. She groaned at the thought of having to spit. "Mac's knocking, I'll see you in a bit."

"Alright, Detective, enjoy." Claire hung up leaving Stella to race to unlock the door and back to the bathroom, dressed but barefoot as of yet.

Mac laughed as he watched her retreat back to the bathroom. He heard her choke as she spit into the sink.

"I just got off with Claire." She yelled from down the hall.

"Yeah, she mentioned she'd wake you up for me and give you the good news."

"You think it's him?" Stella came out as she pulled her hair back into a plastic clip.

"I know it is." Mac looked very sure of himself as he adjusted his tie.

Stella raised an eyebrow at him before slipping into a pair of sneakers, mumbling something in Greek.

Mac snapped his attention to her. "What was that?"

Stella bushed. "Sometimes I forget you've only known me a little while."

"Yeah, but, what was that?" He repeated himself.

"Oh… yeah, suppose I could translate myself for you. I asked whether or not you certainty would actually make it to the interrogation point."

"Sarcastic so you said it not in English." It wasn't a question.

She confirmed anyway. "Yeah, something like that. It was Greek actually."

"It's all Greek to me." He laughed as she simply shook her head.

She grabbed her badge and gun as she locked her doors and followed him out. "What's wrong with me meeting you?"

"Well, I had to grab some things and figured the 'long drive' back to the station would be too boring."

She stared at him, a crooked grin on her face. "I'm glad you and Claire moved here."

"Yeah, we're a blast aren't we?"

She nodded. "How long have you been married?"

"Almost three years." He answered with a small amount of pride in his voice. She wasn't sure if the pride came from lasting three years or for remembering.

"Please. Please let me go." Miss Manten whispered hoarsely though she was sure no one else made their home in the dark basement she found herself. She'd done so much good in her life. What would warrant such a terrible end? She didn't dwell on it. Instead she attempted to discern what on her had been beaten and bloodied when she was taken from the chapel halls. No one would know she had gone missing right away, that she was sure of.


	3. Saint Basil's

Stella and Mac walked into the typically busy police station. Mac leaned on the counter and asked for Claire while Stella browsed the wall children who'd recently gone missing.

Claire came out of one of the back offices, paperwork in one hand, and bottle of iced water in the other. She peered over a pair of sunglasses she hadn't had the time to take off as she searched the faces. She spotted Mac and stuck her tongue out at him playfully before grabbing a young officer and getting him to take the papers.

"Hey, baby." She smiled as she exited through the small saloon-style swinging door and into her husbands' arms.

"Claire." He grinned as he kissed her.

She let him and than quickly straightened herself, snapping back into the professional atmosphere.

Stella joined them as Claire explained the "who and what" of their latest case.

"Hopefully this won't end with a call to the crime lab, but rather just a call to us." She began. "There was a new report early this morning, 4:30 to be exact. A woman had gone missing, a nun from Saint Basil's Orphanage."

Stella tensed.

Claire caught on. "What's up, Stel? Recognize it?"

"Yeah." Stella hesitated. "Damn. Saint Basil's has been around for a long time as have each of the nuns who care for the children there. Do you have a name?"

Claire leaned over the counter grabbing a file and flipping through it. "A Sister Beverly Manten."

"No." Stella whispered barely above a breath.

Claire and Mac exchanged quick glances as Stella looked at the picture of the tall woman clipped to the pages.

Claire took two pages and photocopied them for Mac and Stella to take as Mac began to search for directions.

Stella grabbed his arm. "I'll drive. I know where it is and who we can talk to."

He gave her a look, eyebrow raised to his hairline. "You alright with this? What's going on?"

The double question sent Stella's mind spinning as she gripped his arm tighter. "I'll tell you later." She answered the second question only.

He stared after Stella as she walked out the door. Without diverting his eyes he leaned in for Claire to kiss him on the cheek as he took the copies from her.

"She looks shaken. Take care of her, husband." Claire spoke strictly.

He nodded than smiled down at her before leaving to find his partner and his car.

Stella stood in the main drive of Saint Basil's Orphanage staring down at the paperwork in her hands. Two sheets were the ones Claire had copied for her and the other folder contained information on the suspect of their homicide/rape case. Her hands were shaking as she felt Mac take her arm and lead her up the long drive. They had to leave their vehicle at the end, so the walk was almost agonizing for Stella.

He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it opened for him. A young child stood there wearing flowered pajama pants and a matching shirt. She held a teddy bear tight in one arm and she clutched the doorknob.

"The sister's are in the chapel." She whispered.

Mac looked at the child for a long moment before identifying himself. "My name's Mac Taylor. I'm a police officer."

She nodded and pointed at the badge clipped to his belt. "I know. They said you were coming and I was supposed to watch the door." She looked up at Stella and smiled shyly.

Mac glanced at her as well and saw quite a bit of compassion in her eyes.

The child took Stella's hand and pulled her with her waving Mac to follow behind them. "I'll take you."

He bare feet pattered on the long stone floor that reminded Mac of being in a church. Soon they reached a long hallway with tiled carpet squares and photos of orphans through the years. It was dark except for the tiny lights that illuminated each picture. They made their way through the hallway and stopped at the end.

"Who did you need to speak to?" She asked hesitantly.

Stella knelt next to her. "Do you know Sister Brooke?"

"Of course." She smiled wide.

"Can you find her for me? Detective Taylor and I will wait here."

She nodded and ran off down a separate hall.

Mac looked at Stella. "Can I have that story now?"

"Umm… Yeah. Mac I was an orphan. I grew up her… all 18 years of my life." She touched a wall as if it were precious jewels.

Mac watched her closely and could tell she was fighting tears. He'd only known her three months and he might actually see her cry. This strong woman he'd come to know as his right hand in the lab and on every case covered up a lost, scared child. He touched her back cautiously.

"Beverly Manten was the only person in this world I trusted. We used to go for walks through Central Park talking for hours on end. She took care of me and believed in me. Told me I could do anything I wanted."

Mac didn't know what to say. He stood there for a long time.

Soon they heard the familiar patter of bare feet racing through the hallway. "I'm late for church!" The child squealed as she raced up a set of stairs. She leaned over the banister from three floors up. "Sister Brooke will be with you momentarily!" The big word came out oddly pronounced, but it was cute.

Mac removed his hand from Stella's back as she slowly inched down the hall, looking at the photos. She laughed when her hand brushed across one of them. He leaned over her shoulder to see it.

"Mac, this picture was taken at a birthday party we threw for a three year old who didn't know her name, birth date or anything when she got here. All she knew was she wanted her mom. So we made up a birthday for her." She paused as her finger moved through the girls posed in the picture. "That's her and the girl holding her…"

"You?" Mac guessed.

"Yeah. We were close while she was here. She was adopted before she turned 8."

"Your hair was straight." He teased.

"Very. Annoyingly so, actually. I cut it one year and it frizzed up bad. Next day it was wavy so myself and another girl I knew well decided we could perm it. Ha… I miss my straight hair. For some reason it just-"

A voice interrupted. "Wouldn't straighten again. Despite the oatmeal and honey treatments."

Stella turned to see a short, chunky nun standing in the doorway. To Mac she wasn't all that short, but Stella thought so.

She smiled almost shyly. "Sister Brooke."

"Stella Bonasera." She walked over and studied her through thick glasses. "I've not had anyone interested so in the library since you left."

Stella clasped her hands tight behind her back.

The nun took her arm and also grasped Mac's, leading them up a staircase opposite the one chosen by the little girl. They went into a large library and sat at a table.

"You're looking for the man who took Sister Beverly?" Sister Brooke asked.

Mac nodded, sparing Stella the painful explanation. "We're detectives with the homicide department. The man we believe took her could be connected to two murders last month. We're hoping with the information we already have and anything you might be able to provide we could find him before anything happens."


	4. Discovery and Discussions

Mac and Stella talked to Sister Brooke for nearly an hour before Mac asked to see Miss Manten's room.

Sister Brooke led them through corridors that were beginning to fill again with orphans making their way from the chapel services to their rooms, or to eat in the lunch hall.

Mac noticed the whole time that Stella kept her eyes down, watching the floor beneath her. Very unusual as he previously noted she was the kind of person to always look up and to hold her head high.

When they arrived at a stone door that had 'Beverly Manten' etched lightly on it, Mac realized just how old parts of this orphanage was.

Sister Brooke unlocked it with a large key and pushed it open with her back. It looked heavy as it creaked open slightly. "I hope you find something. I would stay, but the sisters need help preparing lunch."

"Thank you." Stella whispered.

The pair went in, closing the door behind them to keep wandering ears from hearing something they might not want to know.

Stella easily found the light on a small desk. There were pictures and letters covering the walls. Each telling it's own story of an orphan who had passed through this woman's life.

A select few were framed; one being a photo of Stella with a note. Mac read it quickly, noting the admiration and love each word seemed to carry. This woman was a close friend of hers and now she was missing. He cast a worried glance in Stella's direction. She seemed intent on something. "What'd you find, Stel?"

"Her journals. The recent ones give nothing away of any possible stalking… or … anything." Her voice carried a slight irritation to it. "Wait…"

Mac leaned over and looked at a small scribbling across the edge of the last entry. _Something isn't right. As poor as Manhattan knows these children are, someone has repeatedly tried to break in._ And _I fear whoever it is may be looking for more than just earthly possession. _

He stared at Stella for a moment. "Is that not a clear indication of pre-meditation?"

She nodded. "I give her twenty hours before he kills her."

Mac put both hands on her shoulders. "Let's find out what Claire and her team have on it before getting worked up about it." He flipped his phone open only to find no signal. He looked at it slightly puzzled.

Stella bagged the journal while she gave him his answer. "The rock in the wall acts almost like a being in a tunnel."

Mac blushed. "I should know that."

When they emerged from the old stone section of the orphanage, Mac called Claire and asked her to meet them and a local bar/restaurant.

The three found themselves sitting quietly around a small table. Mac had an Irish coffee, Stella chose a mixed fruit drink and Claire ordered water with lemon, still being on duty.

"Okay, what did you two find?" Claire sipped at her water.

"Pre-meditation." Mac answered. "Stella found her journal and she wrote about attempted break-ins. The entry was dated two nights ago. She disappeared this morning."

Claire thought this over for a moment. "You two may be the detectives, but I excel in missing persons. I'm going back to Saint Basil's Orphanage and finding out who saw what. A place like that full of kids someone had to see something."

Stella fought tears that were beginning to blur her vision. She excused herself from the table and headed for the restroom.

Claire gave Mac a puzzled look.

"She was an orphan her whole life." He offered as an explanation.

She raised an eyebrow, lip curling slightly.

He sighed, resigning to give her whatever information she wanted. He explained in detail all of what Stella had told him.

"You should take her off of the case there, Babe. She's gonna fall apart."

"I don't think she'd handle that any better, Claire."

Claire shook her head as she stood to find her friend. She crept into the bathroom that appeared to be empty. She nonchalantly peered beneath the stall doors and found the one occupied stall. She knocked on the door.

No answer.

"Stella?"

"Yeah."

"You okay, darling?"

"Working on that." She unlocked the stall and opened the door.

Two women, standing on either side of a now open bathroom stall door. Both quiet, letting the fans that were set in the wall cool them.

Stella leaned into an embrace Claire instinctively offered. "Mac told me." She whispered.

Stella's tears were already soaking through Claire's vest, jacket and uniform shirt. Claire rubbed her back gently as she tried to calm her down. When Stella picked her head back up, she had relaxed and composed herself some.

"Can I come with you?"

"How much did you drink?" Claire inquired as she led her friend over to the sink to wash her face.

"Hardly two sips. I couldn't."

"Alright… you can come."

"You want me to drive?"

Claire thought for a moment. "I know where it is, but my Manhattan noon traffic driving skills are greatly lacking."

Stella smiled at that and nodded. "If you promise not to ticket me, officer."

Claire shrugged. "If needed. Not even you are above the law Ms. Bonasera."

Stella smiled again and wrapped her arms tight around Claire's neck. "I'm so glad I met you and Mac."

"Let's go find that son of a bitch." Claire pulled back and held Stella at arms length, smiling wide.


	5. Suspects of Elimination

"Think about it…" Claire was saying, but Stella had only heard part of it. They were walking through a small park that was partially surrounded in old stone buildings connected by mid-air walkways and small underground passages.

"I'm sorry, Claire." Stella looked at her friend. "I didn't hear a word you just said.

"Didn't think so. Doesn't matter, I was talking the case out. Mac taught me that a while ago. It seems to bring everything into focus."

"Yeah, but it doesn't help if the second party present doesn't answer now, does it?" Stella paused while she opened a door leading to a large dining hall. Several of the orphans were sitting at a table. Waiting silently. "What am I thinking about?"

Claire shrugged. "I forgot." She sat at the table with the girls.

Stella sat next to her with a photo sketch of their possible suspect.

Claire began. "Okay, you girls were rumored to have seen a strange man the afternoon the Sister Manten disappeared."

"Miss Manten." One of the younger girls mumbled.

"I'm sorry?" Claire leaned closer, but the child didn't say anything else.

Stella put her hand on the little girl's arm, but she spoke to Claire. "Beverly Manten was an odd one. She preferred to be called 'Miss Manten' as opposed to Sister Manten or Sister Beverly. She was once married and when her husband left her, she dedicated her life to God and the orphaned girls of Manhattan. When she took over as administrator of Saint Basil's, the priest that founded it pronounced her holy in the sight of God. So she likes to enunciate the _Miss_ to make a point. There's no man for her short of God."

The little girl nodded as if to back up every word. She smiled at Stella, four front teeth missing. "How did you know?"

"I grew up here, too." She smiled back.

Claire sighed, jotting some of the story down in her notebook. "That could help. It wouldn't be her ex after her, would it?"

Stella shook her head. "He passed away shortly after she moved here."

"Rules out him. This couldn't have been random though. It has to be a man she knew if in any capacity." Claire laid the picture out in front of the girls. "Familiar?"

They all shook their heads.

The little one spoke up again. "He talked to me."

Stella looked at her. "So, if I showed you a bunch of pictures, you could point him out?"

"Probably. He smiled a lot, had a mustache. And he had a gun. He showed it to me and told me they let him carry it for safety. He even had a license with his picture."

Claire looked at Stella. "He wants us to find him. She might not have the time others did."

Looking at the girls, Stella thanked them and than turned back to the young child. "What's your name?"

"Calista." She answered quietly.

Stella stood and held her arms out and Calista jumped eagerly to her. She picked her up and followed Claire out the door.

They cleared Calista to come with them to the station to look at photos and told Sister Brooke they'd call if they had to keep her any later than dark.

Miss Manten sat up ever so slowly. She was hurting on every part of her body. A tingle in her stomach told her it'd been far too long since her last meal. It was still dark and she crawled to the wall. Feeling her way around the room, trying to judge the size, her hand brushed something soft. Soft and damp. She touched it again. It was a body. She clasped her hand to her mouth, feeling the stickiness of blood brush her lips.

The door swung open. "Time's up." The voice was menacing, causing Miss Manten to stumble back against the concrete wall. "Look's like the cops missed their opportunity yet again."

She felt him grasp her arm as he yanked her to her feet and out the door.

The light coming through the windows blinded her, but she looked anyway. She needed to know where she was. Out the window she could see Lady Liberty, straight ahead. She was near the water's edge and at least 10 stories up. They were overlooking Battery Park, which was to her left, and Ellis Island, to her right. They had to be at the very corner of Battery Place and Little West Street, if not further toward the Park.

His hold tightened on her as he threw her against the bed. "Time to play."


	6. Lab Techs, Coffee and a Positive Match

Stella showed Calista picture after picture while Claire sat and documented every response the girl made. None of them seemed to be familiar to her.

Claire sighed. "Break time!" She stood and walked out. Finding Mac on the other side of the two-way mirror, she leaned her head against him.

"She's calmed down?"

"Yup. Going back to the orphanage and staying on top of the case I think is what's driving her."

"Tends to." Mac sighed. "I don't want her on the case though. Especially if it ends with you calling us, instead of us helping you." He looked at Claire who was nodding in agreement.

"Can't pull her off, though. I'll wake up to you dead in my bed."

He smiled at that and kissed her. "Than our only option is to keep her on the case and pray we find Miss Manten alive."

"That's him!"

They heard Calista squeal as Stella dropped a photo on the ground.

"Him?" Stella asked, unsure of where the picture even came from.

Claire raced back inside. "Shit, Stella! He's from a different case!"

"What case?"

"This man," She held the photo up. "Has been making terrorist like threats for months now. Saying something about bombing various locations on Wall Street. We haven't been able to track him down, but he was positively identified a few days ago."

"Prints and all?" Stella's voice cracked.

"Yeah, we have a partial in Aphis."

Stella grabbed the photo and ran out the door, into the street and down the road toward the Crime Lab.

"Hawkes!" Stella yelled as she flew through the door. "Hawkes, give me a hand!"

Medical Examiner Sheldon Hawkes peeked out from the break room where he and Dr. Jane Parsons were enjoying an evening coffee together before he started his shift and she ended hers.

"Coming, Detective!" He placed his mug down and shot a quizzical glance over to the blond haired Brit sitting across from him.

He left to find Stella, and Jane followed.

They both peeked into one of the labs as Stella ran frantically around looking for something.

"Stella?" Both Jane and Sheldon spoke at the same time.

"Evidence… from the last rape vic." Stella managed.

"Boxed it up yesterday. Hang on." Sheldon ran down the hall and toward the rows of locked doors that housed evidence boxes and bags from countless cases, current, solved and otherwise.

He located the box easily and he quickly headed back. He found Jane and Stella scanning a photo into the system.

"Print?" She asked without looking up.

Sheldon dug through the boxes. "Got it. His right?"

"The suspect? Yes." Stella took it from him and scanned that in as well.

The laser scanned it at an agonizing pace before producing the words "Affirmative Match".

Stella lit up as she grabbed the printout, photo and print. "We have a suspect… I can get a warrant!" She screamed as she raced out the door.

Jane looked at Sheldon. "What is she talking about?"

"Don't know. Thought they ran into a dead end with this girl, but I guess not." They returned to their coffees, talking about Stella.

Stella ran back into the station, colliding head on with a young officer. "Damn it!" She shouted as she held her head. "I'm sorry."

The officer laughed as he steadied her. "Quite alright…" He leaned back to catch her badge in his line of vision. "…Detective."

She smiled and skirted around him, jumping over the swinging door and back into Claire's office. They were in there, Claire, Mac and Calista.

"I have a match." She whispered excitedly. "Mac, the unidentified print from Theresea Bowman's cup and door knob match the prints on the terror suspect 'Nicholas Tilver'." The grin that lit her face mirrored her feelings of absolute excitement.

Mac smiled back. "We can drop Theresea's case for the moment, we may have a new victim if we don't find him now." He turned to Claire. "Can I team one of your guys up with one of mine to comb for prints at the orphanage that might match?"

Claire shrugged. "I suppose I could spare someone." She picked her cell up and dialed a number in. "Hey, Flack?" A pause. "Join me in my office. You're playing with the homicide detectives today." Another pause. "Try not to hide your excitement to get away from me for the day, officer." She laughed as she hung up. "Donald Flack is new. He's training under Sergeant Gavin Moran and is hoping to train as a detective with the station. This will be good for him."

Don Flack walked into the office and waved at the detectives. "Hey speedy." He nodded specifically to Stella.

She blushed. "Umm, I was in a hurry… lives on the line."

"Always are." He smiled.

Mac shook his head, not wanting to know how Stella and Don met. "You two can head back to the orphanage. Comb it from top to bottom and match your prints on a portable. Take Calista with you so she can get to bed."

He turned to the child and smiled. "You've helped us very much. We're going to do everything we can to get Miss Manten back. Okay?"

Calista nodded as she held her arms up to Stella.

Stella picked her up and led Don out of the office.

Once again, Miss Manten was thrown into her small 'cell'. She was sore and tired. The sick bastard was driving her to want to end it herself. What could she do? Slam her head against the wall? She sighed softly as her fingers danced across the solid stone floor. It reminded her of her room almost. At the orphanage, her bedroom was in the oldest part. Originally, Saint Basil's was a Roman Catholic Church with two floors. It was converted to the orphanage and she had claimed that room. She felt closer to heaven in the old bell tower. But in her room she was never trapped. This room she could not escape from. She curled up on the floor, arms crossed tightly over her stomach. "Help me." She whispered.


	7. Addresses and Swingsets in Central Park

WARNING: Breif, none-too-descriptivemention of nudity…ever-so-slight reference to rape.

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32 Hours Later – Three Days Since Sister Beverly Manten Vanished – 5:00am

Claire and a detail of uniformed police officers stood outside an apartment door on the 15th floor. The building was located at the Northwest end of Battery Park, overlooking the Liberty and Ellis Islands.

Claire kicked the door in. "NYPD! Freeze!"

A man, outlined by the bright sunlight in the large apartment slowly slipped his hands into the air. He was wearing nothing but a watch and was kneeling on a king sized bed, back to the officers.

Claire and her men quickly took the guy down, rescuing the woman who was lying beneath him.

While the officers were cuffing Nicholas Tilver and taking him out of the building, Claire was putting her jacket around the frightened woman.

"Miss Beverly Manten?"

Miss Manten nodded. "How did you find me?" She whispered.

"Two very special orphans figured out who it was that had you." Claire answered. They're both waiting at the station for you." She helped her put her clothes back on and escorted her safely from the apartment.

Stella paced anxiously. She had to believe this was the correct address. After all she'd been through, she wouldn't be able to handle another dead end.

She heard a commotion outside as officers dragged a ragged looking man through the doors. Stella recognized him as the man in the photo. Tilver. Right address, but where was Miss Manten? Did she make it? Were they too late?

Sister Brooke and Calista sat near were Stella was standing as the three spotted Claire, Miss Manten and Mac coming through the doors.

Miss Manten, though tired looking, and bruised, looked like she was going to be fine.

"Miss Manten!" Calista squealed as she raced across the room and into the nun's arms.

Sister Brooke was not far behind, hugging her friend tightly, smiling despite the tears.

Miss Manten smiled at Calista. "You helped find me?"

Calista nodded. "I knew who the guy was. He was talking to me before you were kidnapped, so I saw his picture and could tell Miss Stella who it was. She found you with his fingerprints."

"Miss Stella?" Miss Manten asked. Calista had said it as though she would know who she was talking about.

"Yeah, Miss Stella Bonasera. She's the detective who found the fingerprints. She said she knew you."

Miss Manten's eyes roamed the room until she spotted the one person who could be 'Miss Stella Bonasera, the Detective'. The woman she spotted was tall, dark curly hair, bluish-green eyes and an amazing smile. That was indeed her Stella. She was talking to Claire, and despite Miss Manten's politeness, she grasped Stella from the side and hugged her, interrupting her conversation.

Stella was surpsrised at first but realized that Miss Manten knew who she was now. She hugged her back as the tears she'd been fighting for three days straight caught up with her. She started sobbing and both women wound up kneeling on the floor of the 12th Precinct Police Station.

After a moment Miss Manten managed to speak. "Told you that you can do it."

Stella laughed as she wiped the tears away. "You did say 'go for it, babe'."

"Interesting." Mac was the first to speak after nearly two hours of a silent walk through Central Park.

"What is?" Stella looked

"You." He smiled at her.

Claire raised an eyebrow. "She's interesting? I thought she was kinda boring for a New Yorker."

Stella smacked the Lieutenant on the back.

"Damn girl. You're too strong to be getting away with shit like that!"

"Watch you mouth, wife." Mac couldn't keep a straight face as both women smacked him.

They arrived at the playground area. Claire and Stella each chose a swing to sit on as Mac parked himself on a bench right near the swings.

"No… I mean… I would have never guessed you grew up in an orphanage."

"Oh." Stella mumbled as she kicked the ground to gain height on the swing.

"Yeah… you have far too much class to be someone who ran the streets of Manhattan."

Stella smiled mischievously. "Careful, Detective Taylor. You have only known me for thee months."

"Touché." He smiled. "As any rate… It shocks me that you weren't adopted.

"It was horrible, Mac." Stella whispered. "Absolutely horrible. Nothing but a civil war with the morality of your conscious."

"What do you mean by that?" Claire asked as she stopped swinging.

Stella was quiet as her swing slowed on it's own. Once she stopped, she placed both hands on her knees and looked from Claire to Mac and back to Claire. "It's terrible to sit in a room and watch the latest newlyweds walk into the room and browse the whole place like it's was a giant department store and than catch yourself thinking that the person next to you doesn't deserve to be adopted and you do. It's horrible on you conscious when you realize that you're wishing your best friend does something stupid so maybe you might be chosen over her." She sighed softly. "Honestly… I'm glad it turned out this way, but I wouldn't do it again. If I got another chance to live to the age 18, I probably would've committed suicide… even knowing how my life was going to turn out."

"Why's that, Babe?" Claire put her hand on Stella's shoulder.

"Because I still have to live with those memories. Those feelings. And I have to live knowing how many countless thousands of children in this city alone, right this very minute, feel that way too."

"Aww, Stella… It's 1997… You're an amazing person who has put away countless thousands of murderers, kidnappers, rapists… you love, you hate… just like any of us. Your experiences give you more feeling for the victims than some of us." Claire leaned over and hugged Stella tight. She pulled back and wiped the tears from her friend's eyes… "I'll always be here if you need anything, darling."

"Thank you so much, Claire… you have no idea-"

"Ssh." Claire held her finger to her lips. "We both love you so much… and our door is always open… we might only have a couch, but anytime you need anything, or even just don't want to be alone, pass out at our place."

Claire fished in her pocket and pulled out a key chain with Stella's name engraved in purple dyed stone. Two keys hung from it. "The silver tone one is the apartment key, the gold padlock key is for the building gate." She put it in Stella's hand. "Anytime. I mean it."

Stella smiled and looked at Mac and Claire. "I love you both."


End file.
